"Fucking traitor bastard!" Actor yelled at Septic.

"I̵'̷m̸ ̴t̴h̸e̵ traitor in this? You were planning on killing me when we were done! I heard you" Septic retaliated, "Plus I may be impulsive and headstrong but I'm not stupid."

Actor seethed at him, "Fine. . .  you want to join sides with your little counterpart and break the deal? Very well. Then I'll just take my end off as well!"

Actor moved his hand out and suddenly Septic buckled to his hands and knees with a grunt. A strange feeling hung in the air and Septic gasped as his physical form was taken form him. He was just a 'ghost' once more.

 "How's it feel to no longer have a body? You're nothing but a weak shadow now of your physical self" Actor taunted.

Anti tried helping Septic up but he merely pushed his hand away and got up on his own, "Don't need your help. And I don't need a body to kick your ass!"

He glitched to Actor and landed a punch, making the man stumble. Septic then gripped the knife that was still in his shoulder and twisted it, making him yell out in pain.

"Who's weak now, b̶i̵t̴c̷h̴!̵?̷"

Actor lashed out at him with the red aura, making Septic fall back. Anti rushed to his side, though and stopped him from attacking suddenly again.

"Wait" Anti whispered to him, "Don't we need a plan here? He's still so strong and we've been fighting. He's got the advantage."

Septic hissed and made up his mind, "Not for long" he gripped Anti's throat and for a moment, he thought he had turned on him again and it was all a big lie.

But Septic then placed his other hand on his chest and a small green glow eased into him.

Anti suddenly felt more power and energy in him than before!

Septic let go of him, "Can't have you weak if you're gonna fight with me. Don't want to keep having to save your ass. I gave you your energy back that I took from you just the other day."

"Thanks Septic!"

He growled, "S̵t̴o̵p̷ ̴t̸h̷a̸n̵k̴i̴n̴g̴ ̴m̴e̸!!̶ ̴My goal is still to eventually kill you, you moron!"

Anti just chuckled, not being able to take him seriously at the moment, "Come on! We have to stall him a bit longer!"

Septic rolled his eyes but agreed.

Actor hated this. He hated seeing them work together. It was stupid. So ridiculous! After all they've been through how can Anti just forgive him for all of it!? It was insane!

He breathed deep and calmed a bit before ripping out the knife. He knew it would be a hindrance if he just left it in.

"Gruh!" blood oozed from the wound but he didn't care at the moment. He was going to end this and destroy ALL of them. He didn't need Septic! He only ever did to steal Dark's red aura for him.

Septic smirked at Actor, "What's wrong? All upset that your pretty suit's all bloody?" he stuck his tongue out at him childishly.

Anti rolled his eyes this time. Perhaps they weren't so different, "What's the plan?"

"Do I look like I plan anything? Just fucking attack him. If you don't know what you're doing next, neither does he" with that, Septic sprinted, glitching so Actor couldn't see where he was coming from to strike.

Anti glitched after him but they moved almost in sync so it looked like Actor was seeing double. However, the Actor slammed the cane down, lashing the red aura around him like a barrier, bouncing Septic and Anti back.

"You were saying!?" Anti yelled at his counterpart.

"Can it, glitch!"

Dark watched as his friend and Septic attacked Actor. Although he felt concerned for Anti, he knew it was the right move to work together with him. But what would Septic if after they defeat Actor? Would he just turn on them?

'I feel so fucking useless' Dark growled, 'I can't do anything! I don't have enough strength in me to get us out of here. Actor keeps pulling at the red aura in Celine. Celine's inside me so it's like we're playing tug-a-war with her energy. I'm not gaining any back!'

Meanwhile on the other side, Sean and the other Septic egos just couldn't believe it.

"Wait so. . " Chase wondered aloud, "Septic's on our side now?"

Jackie seemed unsure, "I don't know. For now it looks that way. Don't know if it will continue though"

"We'll just have to wait and see." Sean muttered, "Until then we'll root for him, too. It's three against one now."

"Zhe odds are looking up" Henrik agreed.

Jameson nodded and Marvin hummed, "Let's just hope that it's enough. There's still something weird about Actor. He shouldn't be so strong."

"Well he did take Dark's red aura." Mark put in, "That means he's taking Celine's energy while she's sleeping within Dark. He must have taken it somehow when Dark as vulnerable and now it claimed a part of it as well."

"Unfortunately this means that Dark can't fight him back" Google explained, "Actor claimed a larger portion of it and as the dominant holder, Dark is stuck as he is unless Septic and Anti can take him down and steal it back."

Mark nodded, "That's right. If only Celine were able to help." he sighed, "But it looks like that hope is a lost cause. She's practically in a coma with being drained so much. They better hurry or else she could fade away completely."

Yandere muttered to themselves, "This is like watching a horror movie"

Jackie pat their shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry. Most horror movies have a happy ending. I'm sure they'll win."

Yandere looked doubtful for a moment but they nodded, not wanting to believe Dark would lose and die.

Eric gulped, "But in a lot of horror movies there's also a bad ending where everyone dies"

Chase's eyes widened at his pessimistic words, "Not this one. They got one of the former villains on their side now. . . . it'll be a happy ending. I know it. You just have to believe."

The others looked concerned, too, though but continued to watch as Septic and Anti worked together in fighting Actor.

"Get over it already!" Actor lashed at the both of them again. His red suit jacket was torn up courtesy of Septic and his blood had dyed his white shirt red by this point. He looked a mess but still held stronger than them, "I'm stronger than all of you! You can't defeat me! I am the main character in this story and that's how it will always be!"

"G̸e̶e̸z̵, you're fucking even more insane than I am!" Septic laughed, "You're more of a side extra if anything! Useless commentary and all!"

Actor used more of Celine's power, creating another blast like before. Septic grinned, "Think that'll stop me!? You're nothing but a joke! No wonder your career plummeted! No wonder your wife left you!"

"Septic, what are you doing?!" Anti was getting worried as Actor seethed in unbridled rage.

"Just get out of the way. I know what I'm fucking doing." he whispered back to him grinning, glitching spastically, "You ought to know I'm a master of manipulation. This is going to be the perfect opening."

Anti wasn't for sure what he meant but did as he said and backed off.

Actor made another sphere, "You're dead now!" he cried out, "I'LL TURN YOU ALL INTO ASH LIKE THE USELESS SCUM YOU ARE!!!!" He shot it towards him with the intent to obliterate the little bastard. 

Suddenly Septic was gone and at first he thought he had just vaporized him but then Actor felt a tap on his shoulder. Actor turned his head to see Septic grinning, "You were saying?"

Without warning, Septic launched his clawed hand onto Actor's throat. Actor used the aura to try and burn Septic but it was useless. He wasn't letting go no matter what. Actor struggled furiously but it was in vain. Septic caught him like a fish in that moment.

Septic hissed at him and grinned like the insane man he was, "You're not the only one here who can take things away in our deal, A̸c̸t̵o̶r̷"

Actor choked as he felt a force leaving him. It was painful and seared like steak on a grill. He screamed and wreathed but Septic kept holding him, feeling the burn as well.

All at once, a strong pulsing red aura was in Septic's hands. It was harder removing it from Actor than it had been from Dark since it had grown so much but he had gotten it nonetheless.

Actor panted, "N-no! Give it back!" he whined like a child not getting his way.

Septic glitched with a smirk and was in front Dark in an instant with Anti at his side.

"How about you stop laying about and actually help out, e̵h̶,̷ ̴D̶a̷r̵k̶y̸?̸" Anti pushed the red aura inside of him through his chest and Dark gasped at the sensation. He clenched his eyes shut as the red aura became fully part of him again.

It felt so right to be whole once more, he breathed in deep at the feeling.

Anti couldn't stop smiling as Dark growled, his strength returning. The red aura mixed with Damien's blue once more and vibrated around Dark, pulsing like a heartbeat. The aura nearly turned purple and Dark reopened his eyes. They were pitch black.

Dark smirked as he stood tall and glared over at Actor who looked less than shit at the moment. The void and the 'air' around them seemed to condense around them in Dark's rage and display of dominance.

"You've lost, Actor" Dark's voice echoed, booming in his new power and his iris showed burning a blood red.

Septic even shivered.

"No" Actor hissed, "I haven't lost yet!" he gripped Dark's cane hard in his hands and shook in a tantrum, "This isn't over!"

Anti and Septic stood on either side of Dark. They looked like an unstoppable force now back at full power.

"You think you've won!?" Actor laughed, "You think you've bested me!? I'm the hero of the story, Dark, remember!? The hero always wins! You're the villain! I made you that!!"

"No" Dark snarled, "I am Darkiplier. I am my own self and you do not control that. You don't control anything! Especially not me or Celine!!"

"Fuck Celine!" Actor snarled, "That bitch can rot in your mind until you die. Which won't be long from now. . . ."

Actor looked down at the cane he held, suddenly calmer than before, "You remember from Damien's memories . . . Celine and I got him this cane in celebration for becoming mayor"

He stroked the cane strangely like it was a part of him, "I thought it only fitting to use this as my back-up plan" he grinned.

They saw a red light leaking through from the cane and suddenly they realized. It really wasn't over.

Actor laughed, "You think I didn't prepare!? I'm not done yet!" he suddenly snapped the cane in half and a burst of the light broke through and into Actor. It was far more than he had in him before.

"What do you think that cage was for!? I wasn't taking it! I was storing it in the cane! All that time, all that power being store into it. . . . you can't defeat me now!" Actor's eyes were now pitch black with red iris' and the red aura flowed out of him dangerously.

Dark swallowed, "We might be in trouble."

Septic huffed, "Speak for yourself. He can't be that much stronger." he glitched to attack Actor until he was in front of him but before he could land a blow, Actor swat him away like a fly.

"Septic!" Anti rushed to catch him before he was just flung into the abyss, "Gotcha! You okay, man?"

Septic groaned in pain as a response.

Back with the others, Google even grit his teeth, "It seems as though there are new variables to add in. Our chances are not as high as they once were"

"What are we working with, Google?" Mark asked.

Google didn't look like he really wanted to answer, "Actor's chances are higher at winning now. Ninety percent."

Wilford groaned, "Well fuck!"

"I told you!" Eric started panicking.

"No, no!" Amy tried soothing things down, "You can't think like that! We don't know if they have any other tricks up their sleeves! Don't call it yet"

Mark nodded, "You're right."

Sean sighed but tried to believe that, "I hope you're right."

"I think we're fucked" Septic coughed out some blood.

Dark came to stand in front of them, "Get up. If we attack together, we could confuse him. He can't fight all three of us at one time."

"What happened to that other part of the plan where when you get enough strength back, we'll get out of here and g̵e̶t̸ ̵h̴e̷l̶p̵!̶?̸"

Anti shook his head, "I don't want to put the others in danger" he said, "Actor's obviously gotten stronger. I don't think even Marvin could handle him let alone Jackie, Wil or the others. We're on our own."

Septic whined but pulled himself up. Anti swat his back, "Suck it up"

"S̸h̵u̷t̶ ̴u̶p̶.̷ ̸I'm the one who's supposed to tell you that" he spoke to Dark then, "I think I should tell you I don't work well with others."

Dark raised a brow at him and growled like a fucking wolf, "Then learn" he didn't have time for Septic's 'humor' in the situation.

Septic gulped at the stare he was given, a bit perturbed at Dark's sudden change of emotions. He turned to Anti, "If you're not gonna fuck him, you mind if I do once this is over?"

Anti blushed but shoved him, sputtering, "S-shut up and get ready to fight!"

"Enough chatter" Dark kept his gaze locked on Actor, ignoring the small exchange, "Let's go"

Actor charged at them first but the three were ready and charged as well. With Septic and Anti glitching back and forth, Dark interlocked his and Actor's fists. Septic and Anti tried attacking from his sides but Actor's aura protected him, blocking it like an impenetrable force.

Actor screamed in rage, throwing back Dark and the two counterpart egos but they weren't done. Septic and Anti glitch back an an opening when the aura died down a small bit but Actor managed to catch their feet when they went in to kick him.

Actor swung them both in front of him, making them collide with each other. Dark was in front of him again, though fighting fist to fist with him.

"Can't fight three at once, huh?" Septic chortled, "R̸i̷g̴h̸t̵"

"Stop being so negative!" Anti berated him, "We can still do this!" he shot back up and joined Dark in attacking.

However, Septic watched as Actor took on the both of them almost too easily. Actor then laughed as he flung them away like pesky insects, "You can't defeat me! I'm even stronger than Dark now!"

Dark chuckled, "Does that make YOU the villain now? Only a villain would gloat and monologue like you do!"

Septic watched and observed as Actor knocked Dark down onto his back. Actor stomped onto Dark's ribs, making him cough up blood. He then grabbed his discarded cane and stabbed the broken end of it into Dark's shoulder, "Gahahahahhaaaaaa!"

"Got a splinter?" Actor chuckled, "Maybe I should have aimed more towards your heart. Let's try again, shall we?"

He had the second part of the cane and was about to drive it into him when Anti pounced at him, "Get away from him!"

Anti was on top of him punching him in the face, anger in his eyes. He was fed up with all of this, "Just stop this already! It's over! No more!"

Actor just gripped his throat and his red aura lashed at him, giving him more deeper marks on his chest than what Septic had given him earlier. Blood oozed out and Anti groaned as he was tossed off of the enemy.

They both stood up although it was just a little harder for Anti.

Actor took the second half of the broken cane in his hand, "You're right. It IS over. For you" he tossed it at Anti with the intent to spear him.

Septic didn't understand why he did it but then again he didn't understand a lot of things he's been doing this whole time. He glitched in front of Anti, taking the blow, the cane stabbed through his chest.

"Guh" Septic faltered and blood poured from his new wound and mouth, "F̸u̸c̴k̴ ̸y̶o̴u̶.̷ I meant what I fucking said, a̸s̴s̵h̴o̸l̷e̷. He'll b-be mine to k-kill"

Septic fell to the ground but Anti buckled with him, catching him, "Septic!"

Dark, having pulled out the cane in his own shoulder, stood in front of Anti and Septic to protect them. Actor sneered at them, "Not who I was aiming for but still . . . good enough"

Dark used some of his energy along with the void to moderately heal his wound so he would at least not bleed out. He lunged to attack Actor once more.

Anti held onto Septic, "You're gonna be okay. Egos can't die from something like this. You'll be fine."

"H-how do you know that?" Septic grimaced out, "No ego has even d-died before. Except for m-me and Actor. . ..  but we n-no longer have c-c-corporeal bodies.. . . . Actor is barely physical. The only thing keeping him together is that r-red aura. The one thing D-dark can't fight, right?"

Anti nodded, "I know. It'll be fine though. You'll be fine."

Septic glared up at him, "I have a f̵f̶f̷f̵-̸f̵u̸c̵k̷i̸n̶g̸ ̶h̶o̸l̴e̵ in my c̷h̵e̴s̷t̶, Anti. I'm NOT f-fine. Can't fight like this. You and D-dark have to f-finish this."

"How?!" Anti stared at the cane speared into Septic's chest, "We need you, too, Septic."

"D-dark can't do it alone and n-neither can you. I̷ ̵k̴n̸o̵w̴.̵ But . . . . I have a little t-trick in being able to rip out that red aura"

"That's why we need you! You can help us win this! Just let me help you pull this out and-"

"Do I look I can fucking still f-fight, ̷m̷o̶r̶o̴n̵?" Septic sighed, "I'm done. But you're n-not. You'll j-just need an opening . . . "

"W-what do you mean?"

"I might not be able to die like this unless Actor f-finishes me off but I'm of n-no use anymore h-how I am. But I can g-give you that ability, Anti."

"What? How?"

Septic smirked, "Just p̶r̴o̸m̴i̵s̷e̸ me something. Finish this. K-kill him for me, will ya?"

Anti was silent for a moment, "But wait. . . what are you thinking, Septic? How are you-"

Septic placed his hand on Anti's chest, "You're not so weak after all. I know y-you can win this"

Suddenly Septic was gone and dissipated into a green glow that forced itself into Anti.

Anti gasped and his eyes glowed green. His wounds healed themselves and he felt stronger than he's ever had before!

'Septic' Anti thought, 'You. . . .what did you do!?' 

"S-septic!?" he could barely hear the faded words in his head 'Don't think this means anything' 

Then the whole presence of Septic was just completely faded. Gone.

He stood up, a green light pulsing from him, 'You sacrificed yourself for this. . . .but why? Why would you do that?'

Actor shoved Dark back but before he could strike him again, Anti grabbed his friend, pulling him away from the attack.

Dark grunted, "I saw what happened. You alright?"

"I'm fine. . . Septic's. . . . he's gone but . . . I think I can take Actor down. We just need an opening like he said."

Dark nodded, "I can give it to you. Ready?"

Anti stanced, feeling Septic's power welling inside of him like a hurricane, "Ready."

Actor laughed like a fucking hyena, "Just give up already! You've lost! I've had it with you fucking shits! I've had it! I'm ending this NOW!"

Anti took Dark's hand as they rushed towards Actor but what Actor wasn't expecting was for Anti to glitch, making Dark glitch along with him. In a moment, they vanished and Actor expected them to appear in front of him but he was wrong.

Anti and Dark, hands still locked, fired separate auras together into Actor's back, green and blue causing Actor to fall forward. 

Actor turned over to see Dark attack him but Anti wasn't by him anymore. Dark laid on top of Actor, hitting him only for Actor to fling him off and stand back up grinning, completely forgetting about Anti, "You thought that silly tactic would work!?"

"Yes"

Suddenly a hand burst through Actor's stomach glowing green. In the moment Actor was least guarded, Anti managed to attack from behind while he momentarily gloated.

Pulling his hand out, Anti also ripped out the red aura. 

All of it.

Actor fell to the ground on his hands and knees, blood pouring from the wound in his stomach. 

Without Celine's power and soul, he couldn't heal the wound at all and he could no longer pull himself up. He whined and moaned in pain and hatred.

"No" he choked out, "No. Not supposed to be . . . like this"

Dark kicked him over so he laid on his back and made him watch as Anti shoved the aura into him, giving him back his full power, "It ends here, Actor."

"No. . . no. I'm the star. You can't. . . ." he cried pathetically.

Dark held his hand out in front of Actor, "Curtain's closed" he mocked lightly "Show's over, Actor. . . . Good-bye"

They watched solemnly as Dark turned Actor into ash once more. However, since Actor had no longer been corporeal as soon as the red aura was removed and they were still in the void, the broken soul had no where to go. It was just. . . gone.

Anti sighed as they stood in the silent void together.

"Dark?"

"Yes, Anti?"

"Did we just. . .  win?"

Dark smiled and nodded, "Yes. We won."

Anti smiled back, "Let's get the hell out of here"

When the two finally returned home through the foyer mirror, they were bombarded with hugs and cheers from their brothers and friends.

"You did it!"

"Way to go!"

"Is it really over!?"

Chase came forward, noticing the sorrowful look in Anti's eyes, "What about Septic? Is he still . . . . around?"

The Septic egos looked both worried if he was but also concerned for Anti. A lot just happened in that fight that none of them were prepared for. Especially not Septic's sacrifice.

Anti shook his head, "He's gone, too." he closed his eyes in a mourning, "He merged back with me but. . . .I can't feel him. He's just gone. Completely."

Chase nodded and hugged him, "It's okay. He reformed in the end, right? You did that, Anti."

He shook his head, hugging his brother tightly, "No." he said, muffled, "We all did it"

Dark broke away from his own group hug and joined in with Anti's, "It'll be alright. He did good in the end. You should be proud of him."

"I am" Anti cried, "I am. . . I'm happy he had a taste of love. What it could have been."

Eventually, the gang all parted from the hug and started to celebrate. After Dark and Anti's wounds were healed of course. They still had some battle wounds the doctors wanted to take care of. 

Wilford sat next to him as Dr. Iplier was checking him over, "We saw what happened to your cane. I'm sorry, Dark"

He just shook his head, "It's fine. . . . I can buy another"

Mark, overhearing this, knew better, "It's not fine. Maybe we could repair it. Will it still be there if you go back and get it?"

"Well yes but. . . It's not salvageable. Don't worry about it."

They let it go but they could tell Dark was hurting a bit from it. They knew how special it was to him.

The day passed as they all drank and ate together, just spending time around their family and friends. It was almost like Christmas again, it was so happy.

Soon, however, Dark and Anti were tired and while everyone was sitting together watching a movie in the living room, they two had fallen asleep on one another. Of course Chase couldn't resist but to take a picture of it. Neither could Amy.

No one wanted to wake up the two, they looked so peaceful. The best of friends.

So when night came and everyone else went to bed, they left them both there on the couch huddled together, Anti cuddling Dark like Teddy bear like he had Jackie the other night. Chase would be sure to tease him about it later.

Sean and Mark watched the two for a little while before they were to head to bed themselves, sharing rooms with the other egos just for the night.

"Did you ever think it could come to this, Sean?" Mark asked.

"Never" he shook his head, "At first when my egos became real, I thought I was crazy. I thought they were all a nuisance at first. I was afraid and almost wished they all never existed when Anti showed up. Then after everything that's happened. . . . I couldn't be more proud and happy they're in my life. I love them all so much, you know?"

Mark nodded in agreement, "Yeah. I know. I felt the same. Of course in the beginning there was only Damien, Wilford and Actor. Celine with them. Then after everything spiraled out of control, I just wanted it all contained. Dark arrived and . . . I was scared to death of him. I'm such an idiot for not seeing who he really was. Never gave him a chance."

"Just as I never did Anti. . " Sean sighed, "Do you ever wonder if we could have prevented any of it?"

"All the fucking time"

Sean snorted, "I'm glad we can't. Things worked out in the end. Except for Septic."

"You two just need to be more attentive" Amy came out of nowhere, "Men are so oblivious"

She walked away, leaving the two guys a little stung by her words.

"I swear she's learning from Wilford, popping out of nowhere like that" Mark commented with a smirk.

They chuckled and looked over one more time at the two friends sleeping on the couch before bidding each other good night.

They may be oblivious but they still wouldn't change anything.

Hint - It's still not over (Maybe one more chapter or two)   :)